Cecily Strong on How to Make an Impact When Everything Has Been Said on Social

The Saturday Night Live cast member, known for playing First Lady Melania Trump, joins WHOSAY President of Sales and Marketing Rob Gregory at Atlanta’s Social Shake-Up to talk about the way social media influences her work.

As one of the most trusted places to hear from the movers and shakers in social, The Social Shake-Up Conference provides brands and marketers with the ideas to move forward by engaging in provocative discussions about what’s next and how to prepare for it.

I had the chance to talk to Gregory ahead of his upcoming chat with Cecily Strong, actor, and Saturday Night Live cast member, and he kindly gave me a preview of the topics he’s planning to discuss with the talented comedienne:

I’m hoping to have a freewheeling and fun discussion about the rise of social media in our culture and its effect on us as both humans and consumers of advertised brands. What’s great, what’s horrible and what’s next. Potential questions include Cecily and her fans on social; what brands do well on social media in Cecily's opinion (and what to avoid).

It's been said that looking at one's Facebook feed is like looking in the refrigerator when know you’re not really hungry and there’s nothing really there. I'd love to hear Cecily’s opinion about it. Is the humanity just wasting its time these days?

I'll also ask Cecily about what she thinks is the best thing to come out of social media, both personally for her and also for her craft, which leads to my next question: as an improviser, how does social media affect that process and mindset? So much of Instagram and Facebook appears to be about reflecting on a past moment rather than being truly present in the current one.

As an accomplished SNL cast member, what does make Cecily Strong laugh (and cry) when she scrolls through social media? On the flip side, does she feel any sort of obligation to share or not share aspects of her life? (Does she think about how younger fans of her will perceive what you post on social, before she posts?)

For the second part of the chat, I'd love to dive into social media and brands. I'll ask Cecily, 'If you could run a single brand's social media account for a week, who would you pick?' (Either to improve it or because you think it would be fun to interact with their fans?)

Given the attention spans and distrust of institutions, I'd love to know what Cecily thinks about advertising, is it dead for the next generation of consumers? What does she think about the role of humor in advertising? Is it more important than ever, and why?

It seems everyone is talking about The Age of the Influencer nowadays. What does Cecily think about it, is this beginning or the end of it as we speak? As a storyteller, what's Cecily's career advice for young people who do the same for a living?

And last but not least: The TV upfronts, including NBCU, where last week. What would you be doing if you were running the network and cord-cutting was on the rise?

Cecily is in her sixth season on Saturday Night Live. She has earned high praise for her Weekend Update characters "One Dimensional Female Character" and "The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation with at a Party" which Rolling Stone hailed as an "instant classic," and she has several recurring sketches including Melania Trump, her former porn star character sketch and Girlfriends Talk Show. She has also had guest star spots in Fox’s Scream Queens, NBC's Superstore, and will also be featured in the upcoming seasons of FX's Man Seeking Woman and Comedy Central’s The Detroiters. In film, Cecily can be seen in fun roles in Ghostbusters, The Boss (Universal) opposite Melissa McCarthy, The Meddler (SPC) opposite Rose Byrne and Susan Sarandon, The Bronze (SPC). Previously, she was seen in Broadway Video’s film Staten Island Summer for Netflix. Additionally, Cecily hosted the prestigious White House Correspondents Dinner in 2015 to rave reviews.

About Rob Gregory:

Rob Gregory serves as President of Sales and Marketing at WHOSAY, the brand-trusted influence marketer. At WHOSAY, Gregory is responsible for monetizing WHOSAY’s unique web and mobile media properties by developing relationships with brands and agencies. Gregory is a media executive with more than 25 years experience in advertising team building, revenue growth, and brand strategy. Prior to WHOSAY, Gregory served as President of The Newsweek Daily Beast Company, where he led digital advertising revenue and brand strategy for The Daily Beast, the digital-only Newsweek, and all major events, including the globally-known Women in the World Summit. Gregory has appeared on AdWeek's Hot List multiple times, and was named to Media Industry Newsletter's “Most Intriguing People in Media.”